January is Movie Month

This month, I got to see 4 different movies in the cinema. The first one for the year was The Legend of Hercules. After reading and hearing bad reviews about the movie, I had set my bar a little lower than before. Yet I am joyfully disappointed and when I did enjoy the movie in some way. It is very educational. Though I would have preferred more "Rated R" scenes, the way the story was told was more of like those films that I grew up watching in school - more info less impact. Needless to say, if they had shown more of Hercules bulge, it would have garnered a higher rating among critics.

The Legend of Hercules - 3 Stars

The next movie I got to see was 47 Ronin. A tale of both of flight and tradition. I enjoyed this movie more than the first for one reason - Samurai. I fancy Japan and their culture. Plus I do love Samurai X and my dear mother always say that I was actually "pinaglihi" in a show titled "Samurai ng Shogun" back in the 80s. A lot of critics again bashed this movie. Maybe it does lack direction sometimes. But it stayed true to it's plot. That is of honor. Those who are actually not that familiar with the Samurai's honor will definitely get lost mid screening.

47 Ronin - 4 Stars

A couple of weeks passed, it was Bride for Rent that was being screened. Just like what I said in my previous post, I am not a big local movie fan. However, when I was asked to see it, I had no choice but to come along. And I tell you it was the best movie I've seen in the past 2 months, MMFF included. We laughed, we giggled, we cheered, and the entire movie house sounded like a flee market with all of use get swooned by the "kilig" moments the movie provided. Needless to say, that shower scene will be something I will not forget for a long time.

Bride for Rent - 5 Stars

Then it was Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. Of all the movies that I saw this month, this is the most underrated. People are bashing the movie left and right. I mean, I'm with them that the change in the time line is not staying true to what the book is about. However, I also think that letting it be more "at present" made the movie more thrilling and exciting. Don't get me wrong, all the cliches are there. If not for the person holding my hand, I would have ended writing a different piece. The heart-stopping actions and the thrills provided by the spy scene are all too familiar. But this is when it all started to comeback to me. It is not about anticipating what the next scene will be nor about prediciting what the person will be doing next. Movies are all about being caught in the moment. To escape to the world that the scene is trying to convey. As cheesy at it may seem, by allowing myself to get swallowed up in every scene and every dialogue, I was able to enjoy every single minute of my stay in the cinema.

Nay sayers will bash. I agree with them sometimes. That's why I relegate myself to watching movies at home. I find it both economical and practical to just download and watch them in my leisure. I was so caught up with being a pirate that I lost sight and touch of the cinema magic. The feeling of excitement, the escapism it provides while in the dark cinema. The collective gasps of oohs and aahs and the "kilig" factor multiplied by ten when you know those around you are also feeling the same way you do. As of this writing, I'm smiling. Because for the first time in a long time, I feel that the magic is back. I can feel it coursing through my veins. And I can feel that tingling sensation of excitement for the next batch of movies on my list for the year.

I therefore declare that 2014 is the year to sit back, relax, and enjoy the movie.

See you in the cinemas!

Survey Says

I like information. Not because I believe that information is power. I just like knowing stuff for the sake of knowing them.

I recently made a "survey" to ask people I know about relationship. I premise the guise as a "psychology class" requirement. Of course, I was just making it up. I just wanted to know how people will react about certain situations.

If you're reading this and you are bored, maybe you'll get a knack at answering the survey too :D

Psych 101 Survey - Relationships

1. Are you currently in a non-platonic relationship with someone or recently had one?

2. Do you see yourself being with the same person you are with now in the next 5 years?

3. If there was someone in your past that you would like to be with now, would you rather be with that person or with the one you have now?

4. What's the difference between being happy and satisfied in the context of a relationship?

5. Are you sexually satisfied with your currently relationship? How about before?

6. What's the difference with being in a "fling" than being "in commitment"?

7. Have you now, or in the past cheated your relationship partner?

8. Would you consider the following situation cheating or not?

     a. you exchange text messages with someone and made sure that you delete the said conversation so the person you are in a relationship with can't find out about it.

     b. you kissed someone.

     c. you had sex with someone.

     d. you fantasize about having sex with someone.

9. Do you agree that people in a relationship should keep secrets from each other or should they be open and have full disclosure?

10. If you are not happy but you are satisfied with your current relationship, would you cheat or look for someone else? What if you are happy but not satisfied?

I made all of these questions on the fly just because I THAT bored. I can only hope that the questions did make you think not just with that you currently have but with what you think you should have in the future.

Retro Post #1 MMFF

I don't like watching local movies. They seem to have lost the luster and the shine of the past. I still can't get over the feeling of being robbed after watching Mano Po and Tanging Ina. And if I would have my way, I will only watch these so called movies in the comfort of my own home, when there's nothing good on TV or DVD or in the absence of any remotely interesting games I could play with myself. But that was before. Oh how time has changed.

December 2013. I binge watched the entire Shake Rattle and Roll franchise after reading Kalansay's post about SRR. That's the first time in a long time that I sat through a local movie. I had to force feed myself in some of the franchise's version because they're just plain, uhm, pathetic.

The same month, I was happily dragged by my partner to watch the MMFF entries. I enjoyed it for the most part. Pagpag was a delight to watch. That opening scene was one of the best I've seen in a local movie in a long time. GBBT's saving grace came in the form of the Diamond Star herself. Naysayers are saying that someone else deserve the acting award that she won. They probably need to be hit in the head to knock the stupid out of them. Maricel Soriano acted with her eyes. The pain conveyed, not with words or shrieks that she popularized in the last decade, but with actions or lack there of. Not over the top but just exactly hitting the mark. She deserves the accolades indeed. On the other hand, Kimmydora and My Little Bossing were a complete waste of time and money in my opinion.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see 10,000 hours or Boy Golden. I heard good reviews for them but the budget and time constraints stopped us from watching both movies.

Even though it was evident that the Philippine movie industry has still a long way to go to compete in the global arena, these recent entries are proof that we are making baby steps toward quality. And now, I can't wait to see what will be the entries next year.

The Man Behind The Blog

The Bioman

I'm Red One. A natural born leader. People look up to me. I'm Green Two. I'm afraid of responsibility. I'm Blue Three. Neither a boy or a man but a complete recipe for disaster. I'm Yellow Four. I challenge authority but I never step up to own my mistakes. I'm Pink Five. I'm fabulous and I know it.


The Batman

I'm not Bruce Wayne. I'm not rich but I do play around. I used to be the king of the hill but those were the days of my past. I'm no longer as agile or limber as before but I have stayed just as dark and troubled. A knight in all aspect of pride with a soul as dark as the starless night.


The Ironman

A self proclaimed super hero that is just one lab accident away from being a super villain. An egotistic, borderline insane, half intelligent, half smart, can be seen kissing his own ass, frustrated inventor, that has a prolific sense of humor.


The Man Boy Drama King

I have stashed skeletons in my closet and it's getting crowded with me in there. I squandered and spoiled opportunities. I gambled and lost. I hurt those who tried to help me. I dreamed, loved, laughed, danced, ran, and is stll running from the truth. I'm hopeless. It can't be helped. I am me.

P.S.

I posted this here once more because I don't believe that people can change. These descriptions summarize who I am as a person, albeit more hopeful now. This is who I am.Accept me for who I am. I can't change. I am me.

A New Hope In A New Home

I tried to write but writing doesn't seem to like me. No matter. I shall plow on and hope that one day, writing will begin to like me...

A new hope. Ah... hope. Yes, that is indeed the operative word for me. Not just because it's 2014 and the year is just beginning. And no, it's not because I was at the precipice of my existence that change suddenly showed his face to me. Nope. I don't think that it's part of any of those things. I hope because I started to believe. I started to believe because I chose to. I decided that I should take charge of my own life and stop risking everything to chance. I'm too old, I'm too tired, and I'm too fucking blind for all that jazz. It's time to face the music and be a man. 

A new home. A place where I could write. Where I could share my inner thoughts and my being. A place were my mind can rest easy because finally, I can let loose all those words and musings that are churning in my tiny brain. No more dead cellulose. There will be more place for new knowledge now that I have a home were I can bring my old thoughts to. Yes, rest.

Today is the day. A great day. A day that will go down in history as boy who pretended to be man finally became a man.

It is a good day indeed.